Injury may hault Ditka's TV plans

The part-time Naples resident is going to be an analyst on the NFL Network, which debuts at 8 p.m. (Channel 212 on Direct TV).

An injury suffered over the weekend may delay his first appearance.

Friday, Ditka fell in his Chicago-area home and broke a bone in his right leg near a previous hip replacement. Doctors replaced the hip again on Saturday and fixed the break, according to his assistant, Mary Albright.

"There were no complications with the surgery, he went through it smelling like a rose," she said.

The only setback might be that Ditka, a Hall of Fame tight end who played most of his career with the Bears and coached them to victory in Super Bowl XX (1986), could miss the network's opening night.

NFL Network spokesman Seth Palansky said knowing Ditka and his toughness, there is a chance he still could be on the air for the debut show.

"Right now Coach Ditka is a game-time decision," Palansky said from NFL Network's headquarters in Los Angeles.

"There is a question about his mobility but right now we're not counting him out."

When he does get on his feet, Ditka is scheduled to team with former Bills coach Marv Levy on "NFL Total Access," the network's one-hour weeknight prime-time show.

Ditka and Levy will debate issues several times a week, provide insight and opinions on league trends, and pick games on Friday's edition of the show.

They will tape their portion of the show from Chicago.

"Mike Ditka and Marv Levy were extremely successful on the field. We expect their colorful commentary and views 'from a coach's perspective' to add spice to 'NFL Total Access,' " said Eric Weinberger, coordinating producer of "NFL Total Access".

"NFL Total Access" promises to deliver on its name by going deep inside the NFL. Airing Monday through Friday at 8 p.m., NFLTA hopes to give fans their fill of America's No. 1 sport. All 32 NFL teams will be featured on the show, with a camera set up at each camp.

Ditka has prior broadcasting experience, serving as a studio analyst for CBS' NFL Today pregame show in 2000-01, and NBC's between his Bears and Saints coaching stints.

Associated Press contributed to this story